Edward VIII of Britain

Edward VIII of England (23 June 1894-28 May 1972) was King of the United Kingdom from 20 January to 11 December 1936, succeeding George V of Britain and preceding George VI of Britain. He reigned just 326 days, and he chose to abdicate in favor of entering a socially unacceptable marriage with the American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Edward was created Duke of Windsor after his abdication, and he spent the rest of his life in retirement in France.

Biography
Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David was born in Richmond, Surrey on 23 June 1894, the eldest son of King George V of Britain and Queen Mary of Teck. Edward served in the Royal Navy from 1907 to 1910 and then as a staff officer in World War I. As Prince of Wales from 1911, he made a series of tours of the British Empire and became increasingly concerned about levels of poverty in Britain. His public appearances made him a popular member of the royal family, and he succeeded his father as King in 1936. However, he was forced to renounce the throne and emigrate after insisting on marrying a twice-divorced American, Wallis Simpson. They married in 1937 and settled in France. As Duke of Windsor, he visited Nazi Germany later that year, which caused some embarrassment to the royal family. In 1940, the government feared that he might be kidnapped by Germany, and he left Europe, serving as Governor of the Bahamas from 1941 to 1945. He then lived in France, but was buried at Windsor in 1972, as was the Duchess of Windsor after her death in 1986.